rning to take the girls sleighing as he had said he
would do when the first heavy snow fell.

It had stormed all night and the deep mantle of white lay tempting and
inviting in the bright winter sunshine. Oh, dear, what a queer world it
seemed! Some people were in trouble all the time and some were never
bothered with scrapes and punishments. There was Hope. Why was it Hope
never did such outlandish things to cause anxiety and dismay to those
around her? Hope never even _thought_ of the freakish pranks that were
constantly getting Peace into trouble.

What was it grandma was always quoting? "Thoughtfulness seeks never to
add to another's burdens, never to make extra work or care, but always
to lighten loads." She said it was because Hope was always thinking of
beautiful things that made folks love to have her near; that it was the
mischievous thoughts which cause the misery of the world. She said--what
did she say? The brown eyes winked slower and slower, the brown head
bent lower and lower. Peace was asleep.

An hour passed,--two. The luncheon bell tinkled, the family gathered
about the table for the mid-day meal, but the chairs on either side of
the President's place were vacant. Glances of inquiry flashed from face
to face. Were the children to be kept in their room all day?

"Where are Peace and Allee?" asked the Doctor, very much surprised at
their absence.

"I haven't seen them since you sent them upstairs this morning,"
answered Mrs. Campbell, who had been occupied all the forenoon writing a
paper for the Home Missionary Society which was to meet at the parsonage
that afternoon.

A guilty flush overspread the President's fine face, and forgetting to
excuse himself from the table, he abruptly pushed back his chair and
strode from the room, muttering remorsefully, "I deserve to be licked!
That was three hours ago and I promised to call them in an hour." He
returned shortly alone, looking very foolish, and holding in his hand a
square of brilliant pink.

"What is it?" asked his wife, surprised at the look on his face. "Where
are the little folks?"

"Asleep. They looked so worn out that I put them on the bed and left
them to have their nap out. This is what I found on the door."

He dropped the slip of paper into her hands as he resumed his seat, and
she read in tipsy, scrawling letters Peace's poster: "It won't do enny
good to raket or holler to us. We can't talk for an hour. If you want to
ask queshuns g